Displaying extreme sense of apathy and indifference, no political leader has visited the family of 22-year-old Army officer Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz to offer condolence even six days after his martyrdom at Shopian.
Political parties and leaders have confined their 'shock' and 'empathy' to news releases and statements. No leader has even called up the family to condole the death of the young officer who was abducted and shot dead by the terrorists.
It was only the Army and district administration that reached out to the family of Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz in Sadsun village in south Kashmir's Kulgam district.
"Nobody came to us and no one even called us. It was only General Officer Commanding (Victor Force) deputy commissioner and superintendent of police who visited us. No political leader has visited us though they should have come," said Fayaz Ahmad, father of Lieutenant Ummer.
On May 13, Major General BS Raju, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Victor Force, visited the family of Lieutenant Ummer and presented a cheque of Rs 75 lakh on behalf of the Army. To honour the martyr it was also decided to rename the Army Goodwill School Behibagh as 'Shaheed Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz Goodwill School'.
Lieutenant Ummer was abducted from the residence of his maternal uncle in Batpora village of Shopian where he had gone to attend the marriage of his cousin on Tuesday evening. He was taken to the neighbouring Harmain village where he was shot dead.
Facing flak, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing in the strongest terms. "Our district president of Pulwama was killed but we could not visit his home. He was our own, but we could not go because of certain reasons. Same might be the case here as well," said Sartaj Madni, vice-president of PDP.
The BJP too said they tried to visit the family but were not given a go ahead because of the situation in the area. "One of our leaders left to visit the family but was asked to return," said Khalid Jehangir, BJP spokesman for Kashmir.
